The best way to make money as an author is to not to grin and bear something you don't like. It's to find something you already innately understand and obsess over it.
This is a great article and makes so much sense. My struggle is that I hate everything about marketing… posting on social media (Substack being the exception), creating graphics, creating captions, figuring out funnels and automations, etc.
I like writing, on lots of different topics. I like researching and reading about those topics. But none of the topics have anything to do with marketing. Consequently, the amount of money I’ve made (and have available to hire someone to do the things I hate) is minimal.
Thus I’ve forced myself to learn how to grow an email list, send out email campaigns, set up a welcome series, created lead magnets, created my website, and on and on.
I’m glad I learned all these things but I don’t see the “payoff” - money in my pocket. This is my conundrum.
See, but therein lies the fallacy. Writing more compelling, hookier, more resonant work is ALSO marketing. That is a form of ambassador, product-led growth marketing, where you are trying to write in a way that connects with people so deeply that readers have no choice but to share it. Writing work that more closely aligns with other people are reading and resonating with is also marketing. Nobody thinks the thing they like is marketing. They just think everything else is marketing. If you're not seeing the return on ambassador marketing, you haven't gotten there yet.
Thanks Russell. I definitely work at writing more compelling “hookier” material so I think I’ll give myself credit for that. But otherwise you’re right, I haven’t gotten there yet.
This was definitely thought provoking - I’ve always enjoyed learning about the marketing part but I’ve never been very enthusiastic about it, that’s probably why it never really worked! Now I really do need to think about where my passion lies… and if it’s really in something non-monetisable as I keep thinking or if it’s something that could free up time to continue doing what I enjoy (if that makes sense)
This is a great article and makes so much sense. My struggle is that I hate everything about marketing… posting on social media (Substack being the exception), creating graphics, creating captions, figuring out funnels and automations, etc.
I like writing, on lots of different topics. I like researching and reading about those topics. But none of the topics have anything to do with marketing. Consequently, the amount of money I’ve made (and have available to hire someone to do the things I hate) is minimal.
Thus I’ve forced myself to learn how to grow an email list, send out email campaigns, set up a welcome series, created lead magnets, created my website, and on and on.
I’m glad I learned all these things but I don’t see the “payoff” - money in my pocket. This is my conundrum.
See, but therein lies the fallacy. Writing more compelling, hookier, more resonant work is ALSO marketing. That is a form of ambassador, product-led growth marketing, where you are trying to write in a way that connects with people so deeply that readers have no choice but to share it. Writing work that more closely aligns with other people are reading and resonating with is also marketing. Nobody thinks the thing they like is marketing. They just think everything else is marketing. If you're not seeing the return on ambassador marketing, you haven't gotten there yet.
Thanks Russell. I definitely work at writing more compelling “hookier” material so I think I’ll give myself credit for that. But otherwise you’re right, I haven’t gotten there yet.
I was just talking to somebody that it’s easy to know when something is good, but very hard to know when something is fyre that will spread.
I know 100% that marketing is key. There are just so many different ways, sometimes it’s overwhelming 😞
sure. That's why this whole post exists.
Yes, I appreciate it, thank you for these steps
Hope you find the thing that brings you asymetrical growth.
This was definitely thought provoking - I’ve always enjoyed learning about the marketing part but I’ve never been very enthusiastic about it, that’s probably why it never really worked! Now I really do need to think about where my passion lies… and if it’s really in something non-monetisable as I keep thinking or if it’s something that could free up time to continue doing what I enjoy (if that makes sense)
Almost anything is monetizable…should it be is another story
That is where I struggle, I have issues thinking anything I do is worth money. But that is a completely different topic for me to work on
So inspiring Russell! I’d better get to work 👊🏻
Yaaas!